Transposing device for mechanical musical instruments.



1 WIiNESSES: f

No. 729,988. PATENTED 11mm; 1903.

. P. L.. YOUNG. TRANSPOSING DEVICE FOR MECHANICAL MUSIGAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION I'ILBII APR. 9, 1902.

I0 MODEL.

IIUDUDDOODDODOUHGUD GOHOHQDIOBDDDD UBDDBUBIIBDOBB INVENTOR I W: rum

ms ATTORNEYS m: NORRIS vrrzns c0. PHOYO-LIYNO., WASHINGYON, o. r.

-cal longitudinal sectional view of a music-roll UNITED STATES PatentedJuneZ2, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

IRANSPOSING DEVICE FOR MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '729,98 8,dated June2,1903- Application filed April 9, 1902;

To rtZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, :FRANOIS LINcoLN YOUNG, a citizen of the UnitedStates, resid-- ing in London, England, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Transposing Devices for MechanicallWIusical'Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mechanical musical instruments,and particularlyto means whereby a music-sheet employed in such instrument may be movedor shifted in order that the musical composition cut therein may beplayed in different keys.

I will describe a mechanical musical instrumeht embodying my inventionand then point out the novel features thereof in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of a mechanical musicalinstrument embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertiembodied in myinvention. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the music-roll shown in Fig. 2.Fig. 4B is a detail sectional view of a portion of a tracker andmusic-sheet. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4., but showing adifferent or transposed position of the music-sheet.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all of thefigures of the drawmgs.

My invention is here shown as being applied to a mechanical musicalinstrument of the type comprising strikers which are adapted to operateupon a keyboard musical instrument.

My invention is equally applicable to mechanical musical instrumentscomprising sound-producing devices. I

A designates a casing of a mechanical musical instrument, whichinclosesthe operative parts thereof. B designates a tracker, and C D music andtake-up rolls, respectively, arranged on opposite sides of the tracker.The roll 0 is ordinarily termed a music-roll and the roll I) a take uproll. The tracker B is here shown as being in the form of a board and ashaving a plurality of ducts or openings b. It will be understood thatwhen the music-sheet 0, carried by the music-r0110, travels over thetracker B pneumatics and con-' 'fore, that by comitant parts are movedto operate the Serial Ila-102,001. (N0 model.)

strikers or to permit of the sound-producing devices comprised in thecasing A speaking.

As shown in the drawings, the tracker B controls a greater number oftones than is cut in the perforated music-sheet. Preferably those ductsor openings 1) in the tracker-board which are not to be controlled bythe musicsheet will be stopped or closed in order that the tonescontrolled through these openings shall not be sounded. It will be seen,thereshifting or moving the musicsheet longitudinally of thetracker-board the composition may be played in different keys ortransposed. In other words, when the m usic'sheet travels over thetracker-board in one path it acts to control certain tones whichconstitute one key. If the music-sheet is shifted to one side of thispath which COHSIJI. tutes a different key, the m usic-sheet will controldifferent tones.

I accomplish the shifting or moving of the music-sheet in a directionlongitudinal of the music-roll and relatively to the journals of themusic-roll by means on the music-roll and preferably extraneous to themusic-sheet or any part movable in such longitudinal direction with it.The mu sic-sheetis preferably wound upon a hollow core 0 which can beslipped on and off the body of the music-roll 0. Thus the samemusic-roll can be used for different music-sheets. The core 0 isprovided with some means for holding it against relative rotation on thebody of the music-roll, and these means may conveniently consist of akey 0 on the core 0 engaging in a slot 0 provided in the body of themusic-roll. In order that the music-sheet can be slipped on and off thebody of the music-roll, one of the flanges of the music-roll C is maderemovable.

The music-roll G is here shown as comprising a hollow cylindrical bodyportion 0, at one end of which is a flange c, a shaft 0 which extendsthrough the body portion c,and means- Which provide for a movement ofthe body portion longitudinally of the shaft. The ends of the shaftconstitute the journals for the music-roll.

c designates a plug the body portion a, and threaded to receive thesecond flange 0 provided in one end of exteriorly screw- Thescrew-thread on the plug also provides for an adjustment of the flange.The plug 0 is provided with a slot 0 which is in alinement with the slotC in the body portion of the music-roll. The plug 0 also serves as ahearing for one end of the shaft.

The means for moving the body portion of the roll longitudinally of theshaft are here shown as comprising a sleeve 0, having a spiral groove 0,into which a projection 0 carried by the body portion 0, projects. Thesleeve 0 is provided with a flange 0 by means of which the sleeve isrotated.

0 designates a flange which is fixed upon the end of the shaft andbetween which and the flange c a spring c is placed. It will be seen,therefore, that upon a rotation of the sleeve 0 the body 0, andconsequently the music-sheet, will be moved longitudinally of the shaft0 In order that a correct registry may be had between the perforationsin the music-sheet and the openings in the trackerboard, asuitable scaleis provided. The scale is here shown as consisting of a mark or othercharacterf on the flange 0 and a number of marks or charactersf, whichare arranged around the flange 0 Thus it will be seen that by bringingany one of the marks f into registry with the markfthe body of themusicrcll and the m usic-sheet will be moved a certain predetermineddistance.

It is obvious that instead of moving the body of the music-rollrelatively to its journal ends the music-sheet may be moved along thebody of the roll.

The music-roll O isjournaled in bearings 61 d, which may be of the usualconstruction, and one of which-as, for example, (Zis a yielding bearingin order that the m nsic-roll may be removed.

The take-up roll D is provided with an adjustable hook (I in order thata central pull will be exerted on the music-sheet. The adjustment of thehook maybe accomplished by mounting the hook upon a cylinder (1 or byhaving it form part of the cylinder d and having the cylinder movablelongitudinally of the body of the roll. d designates the adjustableflanges for the take-up roll. The usual mechanism is provided forrotating the take-up roll to wind the music-sheet upon it and also torewind the music-sheet upon the music-roll. The music-roll is alsoadapted for use in connection with music-sheets which are cut to includeall of the ducts or openings in the tracker-board. The removable flangeof the music-roll can be adjusted to provide for expansion andcontraction of the musicsheet, and the means for shifting or moving themusic-sheet can be used to adjust the roll, and thereby have theperforations in the music-sheet correctly register with the openings inthe tracker-board.

What I claim as my invention is- I. In a mechanical musical instrument,the combination of a m usic-roll carrying a musicsheet, means on themusic-roll and extraneous to the music-sheet or any part moving with itin adjusting, for causing the adjustment of the m usicsheetlongitudinally of the music-roll, a trackerboard,and a take-up roll.

2. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of a music-spool,a shaft extending through the music-spool, means for adjusting themusic-spool longitudinally of the said shaft, a tracker, and a take-uproll having flanges adjustable lengthwise of the same.

3. A music-roll for mechanical musical instruments comprising a bodyportion, a shaft extending through said body portion, and internal meansintermediate the shaft and body portion for causing a movement of thebody longitudinally of the shaft.

4. A music-roll comprising a body portion, a removable flange at one endthereof, journals for the body and means for moving the body and flangerelatively to the journals.

5. A music-roll comprising a tubular body having a relatively adjustableflange mounted on one end thereof, and a music-sheet removably held onsaid body.

6. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of a music-roll,a flange on one end thereof, a music-sheet thereon, a take-up roll, atracker, means on the music-roll for adjusting the music-sheetlongitudinally of the tracker and comprising a flange alongside of theother flange, and a scale for noting the amount of adjustment, thecooperating parts of which scale are located on the two flanges,substantially for the purposes set forth.

7. A music-roll for mechanical musical instruments, having two parts,one of which is adjustable relatively to the other longitudinally of theroll and to one of which the music-sheet is applied, and rotary meansfor adjusting one of the said parts relative to the other to shift themusic-sheet longitudinally.

8. A music-roll for mechanical musical instruments having two parts, oneof which is adjustable relatively to the other longitudinally of theroll and to one of which the music-sheet is applied, and controlledmeans for engaging the part movable with the musicsheet and fixing themusic-sheet when so adjusted against movement longitudinally of 115 themusic-roll.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANCIS LIN OOLN YOUNG.

Witnesses:

OWEN WARD, CLARENCE R. OoMiis.

IIO

